


Pure

by Mimsys



Category: Bravely Default: Flying Fairy
Genre: F/M, Gen, Rape Aftermath, Rape Recovery, Video Game Mechanics, not shown in detail, rape tw
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-06-05
Updated: 2015-06-05
Packaged: 2018-04-03 00:27:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,208
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4079632
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mimsys/pseuds/Mimsys
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The root of Agnès’ name is the Ancient Greek word agnós, which means pure or chaste. She’s not though. Oh, she tries to be; she’s kind and giving - to the point of being naive, Edea says, but she says it with the best intentions. But she can’t be pure, can’t wash away the taint on her soul, can’t ignore what had been done to her. She’d been raised to be an epitome of light and good; the darkness in her heart had no place there. The desire for revenge, the anger, the guilt and self deprecation, they didn’t belong to a Vestal. They were wrong, corrupted, like she was.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Pure

**Author's Note:**

> Please understand that this fic discusses the rape of a young woman and associated themes and may be triggering to you. The act itself if not shown in detail but may be graphic enough to be triggering. Please read safely.

The root of Agnès’ name is the Ancient Greek word agnós, which means pure or chaste. She’s not though. Oh, she tries to be; she’s kind and giving - to the point of being naive, Edea says, but she says it with the best intentions. But she can’t be pure, can’t wash away the taint on her soul, can’t ignore what had been done to her. She’d been raised to be an epitome of light and good; the darkness in her heart had no place there. The desire for revenge, the anger, the guilt and self deprecation, they didn’t belong to a Vestal. They were wrong, corrupted, like she was.

After she lost her Temple and friends to the darkness spreading through Ancheim, she’d been lost in sorrow; the grief had threatened to overwhelm her. Even then, though, she had thought that she should have been able to stop it. If she’d been a better vestal, if she’d been pure, maybe her abilities would have been enough. At the very least, maybe her peers wouldn’t have sacrificed themselves for her if they’d known what she’d done. If they’d know what had been done to her.

She’d been young, too young to understand Yulyana’s flirting at first. They’d been harmless comments, or so she’d thought. He’d taken her into his home to get measurements for her first set of ceremonial robes; she’d been stripped, bony fingers sliding over her skin. Before she could decide if she was meant to protest, the man led her to his bed. He was rough, not caring much for her pleasure, and it made her want to scream. Once he was done with her, he threatened her, told her to keep it a secret, said that no one would follow a vestal would had been used in that way. And, he said, he’d do the same to Olivia if she did.

So she kept quiet.

Ringabel’s flirting frightened her at first, reminded her of the way the sage had spoken to her; she shied away from the blond, clamming up even more than normal, withdrawn enough that Tiz pulled her aside to make sure she was okay. She wasn’t. Agnès had forced a smile, though, told him it was fine, that she was alright. She didn’t think TIz believed her.

When she woke up screaming from nightmares, no one blamed her; she’d lost everyone she cared about, after all; even Olivia. When their mission brought them around to Yulyana’s house and he pulled out the Bravo Bikini, she froze, brown eyes sparking with fear.Ringabel chatted with the sage for some time and Agnès was sure her dark secret would be shared. If it was, it was never mentioned in front of her and she could pretend everything was still okay. Everything reminded her of Yulyana - Ringabel’s cocky grin, the red mage’s traps, the castle hidden by a bejeweled door with a vampire who knew more than he revealed and was friends with the sage.

She could handle it all once but when they woke up in a world almost exactly like their own but strangely different, strangely other, she couldn’t control it anymore. Her worry over the fate of their worlds built with each passing day and each vague reassurance from Airy; when the time rolled around again for them to face Yulyana for the conjurer asterisk, she found herself frozen in fear.

“Agnès!” Tiz called, voice marked with worry, but the wind vestal - donning the vampire asterisk and feeling bare and vulnerable in the leather garment associated with it - couldn’t do anything but gasp, panting for breath as panic overwhelmed her. RIngabel tossed her an echo herb, thinking her silenced, but she just shook her head as her vision went gray around the edges.

When she collapsed to her knees, her friends panicking, weaving a web of spells around her that would keep her safe from harm. There were shouts but Agnès didn’t know what they were or if they were directed at her; all she knew was that she couldn’t allow Yulyana to hurt anyone else.

Aeroja rips through the room, twisting the air and turning it into a weapon; there are more screams but they aren’t her teammates, aren’t anyone she cares about, and she just remains on her knees with her hands resting on her thighs. The spells drained her mana more than she’d expected but she still has enough to use a few low level healing spells on her allies before her vision went black.

She wakes up in a room that’s not her own and she panics, thrashing in sheets that smell of salt; the scent and the gentle sway of the room let her know she’s on the Grandship and she lets sleep overtake her again. Agnès doesn’t awaken for almost a week.

When she does, Tiz is sitting beside her and stroking her hair gently. Ringabel and Edea are standing guard by the door in full Eternian armor, decked out in the protective asterisks of Dark Knight and Templar respectively. Agnès must have made some sort of noise because they both look over at her. “Agnès.” Ringabel murmured gently, taking a slight step closer. She cringed and Ringabel steps back without protest; Tiz also moves away, standing up from the bed and giving her some space; she wants to protest, to cling to him, but she prefers the bed to herself at the movement. 

Agnès removed the vampire asterisk, feeling more comfortable in her freelancer clothes, and sighed softly. “I suppose I owe you an explanation.” She began softly, lashes beaded with tears she hadn’t even realized she’d shed.

“No.” Tiz responded, moving over to the window and looking at it. “You don’t. If you _want_ to share something, we’ll gladly listen but you don’t owe us anything. You were hurt and that’s enough for us to take care of you; the reason why is yours alone if you’d like it to be.”

Agnès hesitated for a long moment before nodding. “That...would be acceptable.” She murmured and held her hands out to her friends. Edea and Ringabel moved to sit on the edge of her bed; Tiz stood by her side, gaze watchful and solemn.

When Edea had gone to see about getting them food hours later and Tiz had dozed off in the chair beside her bed, Agnès turned to RIngabel. “Did you know?” She asked softly and he shook his head mutely. A moment later, he pulled out his journal, emblazoned with a stylized D, and passed it to her, one page bookmarked; it was the last line in the entry Agnès Oblige that drew her attention.

_We were fighting Sage Yulyana and Agnès seemed to be in distressed; she fell, as if all the strength had been sapped from her body. Wind swept through the area, tearing at trees and snatching at our clothes. The Sage’s face showed regret, understanding, and the coldest fear I’ve ever seen. He deserved to die, Edea said with a finality I didn’t understand and Agnès was taken back to the Grandship to rest._

She closed the book and her eyes, processing for a long moment. “Thank you.” She finally said, passing it back. “All of you.”

**Author's Note:**

> Please leave kudos or review if you liked it!


End file.
